“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
Romans 5: 12, NLT
“You can’t do that!”
“Oh, yes I can!”
“Well… you wouldn’t …right?”
“I don’t see why not?”
“Because anyway you slice it, it’s simply not fair!”
“Not fair? Oh grow up! Life’s not fair! Didn’t your mama ever tell you that?”
“Just know that when this thing goes badly (and it will), I’m telling everyone that it’s your fault!”
Can you relate to that conversation? Maybe you’re in the that’s-not-fair camp. Or, if you’re a little rougher around the edges, perhaps you’re in the life’s-not-fair-so-get-over-it camp. Either way, we’ve likely all believed at some point in our lives that something wasn’t fair. And what’s the next natural step that we take? We find someone or something to blame for it, right? This is exactly what has happened since the first sin was committed in The Garden of Eden. Read today’s Dose verse. I know for a fact that I’ve heard more than one woman mention her intentions to have a “talking-to” with Eve once they get up to heaven over her part in this sin-thing that led to pain in childbirth! I suspect that even though the men haven’t vocalized it, some of them likely thought something similar for Adam!
The question might be asked, why should we be penalized for what Adam did? How can that be fair? After all, he started it, didn’t he? We say, “That’s not fair, God, give us something fair!” God should be fair to us and just blame Adam! And that’s how it happens. A lot of us consider it simpler to accuse others for our troubles. We say they are the reason for our mistakes, faults, and sins.
But, demanding fairness from God and calling out the sin of those who sinned before us shouldn’t be our focus at all. Just because our ancestors sinned before us doesn’t negate the fact that we fell right into the same footsteps as Adam and Eve.
We are naturally of a mind to go counter to God and his plan. So perhaps our focus ought to be that we’re sure to face the inevitable result of our sin (death) unless God does something!
The good news is He already has! God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for our sins!
God doesn’t owe us fairness but we do require His mercy! God’s mercy is what He extends to all who believe in Him!
Are you seeking fairness or mercy today?
By grace through faith,
Rita
In this verse, we see that Jesus sent His disciples to places He planned to go. They were to prepare the people and make provisions for Jesus’ visit. In a similar way, God has strategically placed us precisely where we need to be in order to prepare the people and the area for His visit. As His disciples, it is our job to sow seeds in the lives of those God places along our path. Only then can the Holy Spirit water and grow these seeds unto a bountiful harvest.
Death has been lurking around every corner these past couple of weeks. My beloved sister-in-law, a friend’s mother, a stranger who passed us on the highway, those shot down in the Malaysian airplane … all of them recently came face to face with death. While this topic can depress and frighten us, we live with the reality that death remains a natural part of life. None of us are exempt. Which leads me to contemplate…